Nationwide — Two 10-year-old children from Marshall County, Mississippi, are facing charges after setting fire to three school buses parked behind a school. The fires caused heavy damage just weeks before summer school starts.
Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson said the children’s parents brought them in for questioning the day after the fires. The two were released back into their parents’ custody. They are set to appear in Youth Court for a hearing where charges will be formally announced.
Jerome Henderson, who knows the families, said the parents were shocked by what their children had done.
“They caught them off guard about what [their] own kids did. They couldn’t believe that, and they [were] real upset,” he told WREG.
The school district’s Transportation Director, Jose Roman, called the damage “devastating.” He said the loss of buses has created a serious shortage as the district finalizes bus routes and prepares for students to return.
In a statement, the Marshall County School District said it’s working quickly to make sure students won’t be affected when school starts. The district also thanked local firefighters and deputies for putting out the flames and launching the investigation.